


Close

by MoonxKitsune



Category: Layton Kyouju Series | Professor Layton Series
Genre: Azran Legacy Spoilers, Bronev went through a lot of pain, Happy endingggggg, I don't want Rachel to die :C, I love this family so much I wish they didn't get separated
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-15
Updated: 2021-02-05
Packaged: 2021-03-13 14:27:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,054
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28779765
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonxKitsune/pseuds/MoonxKitsune
Summary: Leon and Rachel Bronev are kidnapped by Targent after a terrifying episode in their house. Will they make it out?
Relationships: Hershel Bronev & Theodore Bronev, Leon Bronev/Rachel Bronev
Kudos: 2





	1. Threat

Leon woke up to the sound of rocks cracking and rumbling under him. He was sore, and he felt a twinge of pain on the top of his head. He felt slightly hot, so he tried to take his blankets off of his body, only to find that his hands were tightly bound together behind his back with rope. His heart sank as he remembered why he wasn’t in his bed, in his comfortable night clothes. He opened his eyes a slit, and saw that he was in a moving vehicle. Men and women wearing blue uniforms that were holding guns sat on the benches attached to the side of the vehicle. Leon saw Rachel on the other side, who’s eyes were still closed. Leon was relieved when he saw that she was still breathing.  
“Finally awake?” a gruff voice said, making Leon jolt. One of the Targent agents was looking right at him, and Leon stared right back.  
“What do you want with me?” Leon growled.  
“It be best if you keep your mouth shut Bronev. You’ll see once we arrive at the Nest.” the Targent agent said nonchalantly, gripping his gun tighter. Leon pressed his lips together, glaring at the agent. If only he had fought harder… 

“Dad, can we borrow that big archaeology book you have?” Hershel asked Leon, eyes bright.  
“Of course Hershel, just be careful with it, okay?” Leon said. He chuckled quietly as he heard both his sons happy laughter echoing in the living room.  
“Did you let them borrow your book?” Rachel asked curiously.  
“Yup, they’re probably reading it on the couch.” Leon said. Rachel smiled.  
“They want to be successful archaeologists, just like you.” Rachel said, still smiling.  
“Oh haha. You’re also very successful in the archaeology field, Rachel.” Leon said, giving her a light kiss on her forehead.  
“Oh Leon, you know your research led to that breakthrough.” Rachel said, kissing him back. They opened the door to the living room to see the boys reading the book intently. Leon and Rachel read the book with them, explaining extremely tough concepts to them, which surprisingly, they understood right away.  
“Come on Theo, let’s get the other book.” Hershel said, both of them jumping off the couch and leaving the living room.  
“They’re extremely smart for their age.” Rachel remarked. Leon nodded in agreement. They could hear Hershel and Theo’s footsteps scampering down the stairs.  
“Looks like they found their b-”  
Crash.  
Rachel and Leon looked at each other, surprised. They exited the living room.  
“Hersh?! Theo?!” Leon yelled, going towards the stairs. He started to slightly panic once he saw shards of glass on the floor. He looked up, and his heart stopped. Three men wearing dark blue uniforms, holding huge guns that were bigger than Hershel. They wore sinister sunglasses, masking all emotion that showed in their eyes. They broke down the door, blocking the entrance. Rachel ran to the boys, who were frozen and white in the face.  
“Ah.. Bronev has kids? This makes matters complicated, but it could make things easier…..” a rather buff man said.  
“How dare you trespass in my house! Leave at once!” Leon said aggressively. He tried to use his body to shield Rachel and the boys from the men.  
“Oi Bronev, let’s not make this harder than it needs to be.” another man said. He had wild, blond hair.  
“What do you want?!” Leon shouted.  
“Your work. You have some outstanding work on the Azran, and we would like to offer you a place in our organization.” the same man said calmly.  
“No.” Leon said simply.  
“Hmph. We’ll see about that.” the blond man said. He made a noise with his tongue, and more soldiers flooded into the house, carrying guns and other weapons. Leon looked back at his kids. Theo was clutching on Hershel, who looked equally frightened, and Leon could see his attempt to stay calm. He was suddenly pulled back, almost making him fall backwards. He felt a sharp impact on his back, and he was pushed to the floor.  
“Dad!” Hershel said loudly, concerned. Leon watched as they dragged Rachel and forced her on her knees, placing a gun between her shoulder blades.  
“M-Mom!” Theo whimpered. He gripped onto Hershel even harder as three men surrounded them, pointing guns at their small bodies.  
“Well Bronev? Care to make your mind? Either you join, and we won’t pull the trigger. If not, well, it will be bloody. We’ll give you three seconds.” the blond man said. Leon panicked as he looked at Rachel on her knees, shaking, and at Hershel and Theo, who would be killed if he didn’t join.  
“Three…” the blond man started.  
His family. The most important thing to him.  
“Two…” the blond man continued.  
Without his family, he was nothing. There was no reason to keep on living.  
“One-”  
“I’LL JOIN!” Leon exploded. The men smirked.  
“I told ya his children would make this easier.” the buff man said.  
“Just.. don’t hurt them.” Leon pleaded.  
“Hmph, well we won’t kill the kids, it might unleash a hidden demon inside of you.” the blond man said. The men who were pointing guns at the boys put their guns down. Leon exhaled in relief; his kids would be unharmed.  
“However…” the blond man started, gesturing towards the kids. Leon looked in that direction, and his eyes widened. Leon felt time slow down as he saw one of the soldiers pick up Hershel and Theo by their shirts and throw them across the room, their bodies motionless as they hit the floor. He barely had time to react when Rachel gasped loudly, and tried to get up, but she was pushed back down again. Then, a soldier smacked her hard in the head, making her fall unconscious. Leon choked, wanting all this to be a nightmare.  
“RACHEL!” Leon screamed. He felt something heavy come down on his head, and everything went black


	2. We arrive

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leon is introduced to Targent's headquarters

Leon tried to find a way out of this mess with Rachel, although his efforts would most likely be futile. Rachel was still unconscious, and Leon felt even angrier; how hard did the man hit her? As he observed for an escape route, he noticed that his hands and arms were badly cut, some glass shards still remaining in the wounds. Droplets of red were on his vest and pants, looking like big, red flowers on his clothes. The horrifying scene kept replaying in his head, making his stomach wrench. He felt guilty and completely powerless; if his sons were dead, or seriously injured, it would be his fault. Theodore was only five years old, his body couldn't take that much impact, and even if Hershel was older, he was still a child. Leon tried to think the opposite, he tried to believe that his children were okay. He felt some sort of ease when he saw Rachel open her eyes, looking around.  
“Rachel..” Leon said quietly.   
“Bronev, what did I tell you? Shut that mouth of yours or I’ll cut your tongue off!” the same man spat. 

The vehicle came to an abrupt stop. They weren’t out of the vehicle yet, but Leon could smell smoke and chemicals lingering in the air. The thugs stood from the benches and forced Leon and Rachel up. Leon exited the vehicle, which turned out to be a huge, black van, and looked ahead of him. Tall, imposing towers were around him, airships parked against rusted platforms, electric fences placed to prevent people from escaping. They entered the tallest building, went up elevators, and entered a small room. He and Rachel were completely surrounded by soldiers, who looked ready to shoot on command.   
“So Bronev. We’ve brought you here because we need your work.” the blond man said walking in front, slapping a folder full of documents down on a desk.   
“Those ruins you discovered a couple months ago? Those will be perfect for our mission.” Blondie said.  
“What are you going to do with my family?” Leon uttered, trying to stay calm.   
“Hmph. That shouldn’t be a concern of yours at the moment.” Blondie replied.   
“What are you going to do with me then?” Leon continued.  
“It’s simple. You will be a new recruit to our humble group, Targent.” Blondie said, walking around.  
“What if I say no?” Leon hissed.   
Blondie walked quietly towards Rachel. “Well, that could be one choice but..” Blondie started.  
He went right to Rachel’s face and examined it with his hand.   
“It would be a shame for this beautiful face to be covered in blood, wouldn’t it Bronev?” Blondie sneered, not taking his eyes off Rachel.   
“Don’t touch my wife!” Leon snapped.  
“Well, if not your wife, there are always your little boys… I imagine they’re your pride and joy, am I correct Bronev? Your own flesh and blood going to waste.. Another true shame. ” Blondie added thoughtfully. Rachel and Leon turned pale. This was going to be a lot harder now, if Hershel and Theodore’s lives were on the line. 

“Just.. take all my work. All of it. Just please leave my family alone.. I beg of you.. I’ll join your group” Leon pleaded, his voice quiet. Blondie smirked.  
“Good choice Bronev. I imagine being a husband and a father means you have all the happiness in the world, but it can be taken away so easily. Now, follow us.” Blondie said, walking out the room. Leon and Rachel were led out of the room, the thugs still surrounding them. They went outside, and entered a building that looked like a prison cell. The metal surrounding the building was rusting, and smoke was spewing from the top of the building. Leon didn’t know he was staring at it until a thug pushed him forward. They went inside the building, which happened to have more rooms inside. Blondie opened a rather thick door, and gestured to Leon and Rachel to go inside. It was a small, dark room that was only lighted by a small candle, and it smelled of mold and smoke. A small table was the only furniture in the room.   
“You will be living here until we find a new room. Until now, all the rooms are occupied, so for the next few weeks, this will be your home.” Blondie explained. They left before Leon could interfere, leaving Leon and Rachel standing in the empty void of silence.  
“Leon?” Rachel said gently. Leon couldn’t look at Rachel, not after this was all his fault.   
“Leon, look at me please.” Rachel asked softly. She was surprisingly calm. Leon looked at Rachel, who gave a sad smile.  
“Rachel..” Leon said quietly.   
“Yes?” Rachel said, her hands positioning Leon’s face so they could make eye contact.   
“I… I’m so sorry… This is all my fault… I-” Leon stammered, Rachel quieting him before he could finish.  
“Sh. This is not your fault, and you have nothing to be sorry for. Just know that I’ll be here, and I’ll always love you, okay?” Rachel consoled Leon. Leon closed his eyes. What did he ever do to deserve her? They both sat down on the cold floor, putting the candle between them. They stared at the small, flickering flame, not having anything else to do but think. Leon tried to think of the happiest moments of his life, trying to keep a clear mind. When Rachel accepted his proposal, when he got married, when Rachel got pregnant, the birth of his two sons. He snapped out of his thoughts after he heard a jingle of keys near the door. The door groaned as it opened. Leon stood up and went to the door, coming face to face with another thug.   
“Are you Bronev?” the man asked in a gruff voice.  
“Yes..” Leon answered.  
“Well the boss told me that your recruitment might be delayed.” the man said. “You’ll be staying here for at least another two weeks.” the man continued. Leon stared at the man for a second, then nodded. He watched the man close the door and lock it once again. Leon exhaled loudly, running his hand through his hair. He didn’t know what to do, how to get out of this mess. He sat back down next to Rachel, unsure what to do next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My writing skills suck but I have no other way to fangirl-   
> Thanks for reading!


	3. Meanwhile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hershel and Theo wake up

Hershel woke up on the floor. He hurt everywhere. He lifted himself up, only to see Theodore still on the ground.   
“Theo!” Hershel whispered loudly, rushing to his side. Hershel gently patted Theo’s cheek in hopes of waking him up. Thankfully, he did. Theo opened his eyes and looked straight at Hershel, who hugged him almost immediately. Hershel could feel Theo’s attempts to not cry, his small body shaking.   
“Theo?” Hershel asked gently, still hugging the small boy.   
“Y-yeah..?” Theo replied, still clutching at Hershel like a lifeline.   
“It’s going to be okay..” Hershel said, trying to comfort Theo.   
“But.. Mommy and Daddy…” Theo choked. Tears sprang to Hershel’s eyes, but he couldn’t cry now. He brought Theo to face him.   
“Are you hurting anywhere?” Hershel asked, scanning Theo’s body for any alarming injuries.   
“My arm kind of hurts.. But it’s okay..” Theo uttered. Hershel carefully rolled up Theo’s sleeve to see if anything was causing the pain. A big, purple bruise blossomed across his upper arm, making Theo wince when Hershel gently pressed it.   
“Do you need ice?” Hershel asked. Theo shook his head. He could see the five-year old’s eyes sparkling with unshed tears.   
“Let’s just go to sleep… maybe you’ll stop hurting in the morning.” Hershel reassured, trying to stay as calm as possible. Hershel tried to ignore his own pain in his own leg. Hershel gently took Theo’s hand and walked up the stairs. Hershel walked into his own bedroom and gently closed the door. He changed into his nightclothes. He lifted up his pant leg to find a similar bruise to Theo’s on his leg. He decided to ignore it all together, and went to Theo’s room. Theo was in his bed, hugging a stuffed bear their parents had made together. Hershel had a similar one next to his bed.   
“Are you ready to go to bed Theo?” Hershel said.  
“Yeah..” Theo mumbled. Hershel helped Theo pull his covers up, and turned off the light.   
“You can always come to me if you want to.” Hershel said, adjusting the blankets so Theo would be nice and warm. Theo nodded in agreement.   
“Goodnight Theo.” Hershel said, heading out of the room, closing the door quietly. Hershel headed downstairs and opened the door to the kitchen. He shivered; despite it being the summer, it was still very cold at night. He took the radio his parents often listened to, and set it down on the kitchen table. Although it was very unlikely, Hershel wanted to see if there were any news about his parents. He turned it on, but there was no sound. Hershel, confused, turned it off and turned it back on. There was still no sound. His heart sank as he remembered his father saying they needed to buy new batteries for the radio earlier that morning. He jumped off the chair, putting the radio back in its rightful place. He couldn’t go out to buy batteries; he was a child, and they needed to save money. They never had much money to begin with, barely getting by in the winter and fall months. Hershel sighed, and trudged up the stairs with a heavy heart. 

Hershel opened his eyes, sunlight streaming through his window. He rubbed his eyes, sitting up. He half-expected to hear his parents talking downstairs, his father or mother making breakfast, and was disappointed to find silence. He changed out of his pajamas, and went downstairs, only to find their broken door still on the floor, shards of glass sparkling on the floor like crystals. Hershel sighed, and kneeled down, picking up each and every piece of glass. After he threw the shards away, he went to make breakfast; he would deal with the actual door later.   
Hershel didn’t know what to make for breakfast, his father usually made eggs or toast. After much debate, he decided to make toast. He took two slices of bread and put them in the toaster. He heard a small thump from upstairs; Theo must have woken up. After a couple of minutes, Theo came down the stairs, all dressed and ready for the day. His eyes were red and puffy.  
“Good morning Theo.” Hershel said in a gentle voice, getting the bread out of the toaster and putting them on plates.   
“Hershel..?” Theo said timidly.  
“Yes?” Hershel said.   
“Are Mommy and Daddy still gone..?” Theo said, voice shaking. Hershel swallowed.   
“Yes.. but don’t worry, they’ll come back soon.” Hershel lied. He didn’t know when they would come back; he didn’t even know if they were alive.   
“O-okay..” Theo said, his voice getting quiet.   
“After breakfast, can you help me with some things around the house?” Hershel said, trying to stay bright for the sake of the younger boy’s mental wellness. Theo nodded, and continued to nibble at his bread. After breakfast, they washed up.   
“Theo, I’m going to check your arm again, okay?” Hershel kneeled down and carefully examined Theo’s arm. The bruise had gotten darker, and was more sensitive to touch. Hershel nodded, and took Theo’s hand and went downstairs. He took a bag of ice from the fridge, and gave it to Theo.   
“Put this ice where it hurts, okay Theo?” He gave the ice to Theo, who took it and placed it on his arm. Now that he was done with Theo, he could focus on the door. He tried to lift it from the side, but his small arms begged to differ. He lifted the door up from the top, and his leg throbbed as he slowly brought the door up to its rightful place. Now it was time to fix the hinges. He got his father’s old tool box and looked for suitable tools. He fixed the hinges in a surprisingly small amount of time, and before he knew it, the door was fixed. Most of the glass was gone, a couple of sharp edges sticking out here and there. He checked the time; it was already noon. He would have to give Theo lunch.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Sorry I'm like obsessed with the Bronev family ;_;


End file.
